Record breeding success for Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis

By Shaun Hurrell, Fri, 20/11/2015 - 07:00 

Read it on  http://www.birdlife.org

The Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita has had an eventful and turbulent relationship with humans that has resulted in a graph of its population decline that matches its iconic red down-curved beak.

But latest breeding successes resulting from work of BirdLife Partners and the Government of Morocco gives hope for a harmonious relationship again in the future.
The large glossy-black bird once had an extensive range that spread across North Africa, the Middle East and Europe and has been idolised by humans as a symbol of fertility and virtue [More: The Hieroglyph]. Yet ironically human pressures have caused it to struggle breeding, and its dramatic range-reduction renders it classified today as Critically Endangered: reaching an all-time low at the end of the 20th Century with only 50 breeding pairs remaining. Today, 99% of the remaining wild birds are found in Morocco.

With that in mind, it is a great pleasure to announce that colonies in Morocco have had record reproductive success this year - the symbol of fertility now managing to live up to its tradition!

For the third year in a row, the colonies at Souss-Massa National Park and nearby Tamri, both Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas in south-west Morocco, formed a record number of breeding pairs, reaching 116 pairs in 2015.

GREPOM releasing a tagged juvenile ibis.
Photo: Víctor García Matarranz

“Despite challenges of funding wardens to protect the colonies, we managed to maintain the momentum of this project through 2015,” said Jorge Fernández Orueta, SEO/BirdLife (BirdLife Partner in Spain), who works on a project to save the Northern Bald Ibis through BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions Programme.

“Breeding success is also especially high, reaching 1.7 fledglings per pair”, said Professor Mohamed Dakki, President of GREPOM (BirdLife in Morocco). “Post-breeding counts are also exceptionally big, with almost 600 birds – all the best recorded since detailed monitoring began and the establishment of Souss-Massa National Park 25 years ago!”

Northern Bald Ibis are very social. Here shown going to roost at colony on cliff in Morocco. Photo: Rachid El Khamlichi www.moroccanbirds.blogspot.com

Apart from the Moroccan colonies, there is a tiny remnant population in Syria and a semi-wild population left at Birecik in Turkey, as well as experimental release work in Austria and Spain.

The BirdLife Partnership has really come together to save this species. We are proud to be contributing to the conservation of thislast viable, wild population of this species in the world through five BirdLife Partners*; with the support of several institutions, notably the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the BirdLife Species Champion for the Northern Bald Ibis. Souss-Massa National Park authority is responsible for work in the field and a longstanding conservation project since 1994.

During the time of this project, GREPOM became a BirdLife Partner.

“We are proud to now take on a leading role in the conservation of this globally-important species, and want to ensure the Moroccan people are just as proud,” said Professor Dakki.

“We also would like thank all Birdlife Partners and especially the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation for their continuous and notable support. A major part of this breeding success is thanks to considerable efforts made by Mohamed El Bekkay, Director of this Souss-Massa National Park, and Widad Obrou, responsible for ibis monitoring there.”

Local organisation's logo incorporating the iconic ibis.
Photo: GREPOM

Through the project’s range of communication, awareness-raising and livelihoods-support activities, local people are increasingly taking ownership of the conservation of this iconic species. If you drive the coastal road in this region of Morocco you are likely to see Northern Bald Ibises painted on wall murals or used in local logos of local cooperatives.

As well as diligent monitoring, community wardens and staff of Souss-Massa National Park provide daily fresh water for the birds (which increases their breeding success) and patrol to prevent disturbance – including overseeing the increasing number of ecotourists who come to see the birds.

There is an urgency for a stronger formal protection status of the colony at Tamri, and to secure wardens for next season.

Professor Dakki concluded: “We thank also the High Commission of Waters and Forests for giving high conservation priority to Sous-Massa National Park, which was especially created to protect this legendary bird."

"Together, we hope to find in the near future additional breeding sites for the ibises.”

In another important development for the ibis’s conservation, a revised International Single Species Action Plan has just been adopted under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) of the Convention on Migratory Species, at AEWA’s 6th Meeting of Parties.

---

Video by Brian Stone (tnstours.co.uk) of Northern Bald Ibis preening in the sun at Sous-Massa National Park.

---

Northern Bald Ibis in Souss-Massa showing their iridescent colouring. Photo: Brian Stone www.tnstours.co.uk

*BirdLife is proud to be contributing to the management and conservation of the last viable, wild population of Northern Bald Ibis in the world through: SEO/BirdLife(BirdLife in Spain), RSPB(BirdLife in the UK) and,GREPOM (BirdLife in Morocco), in conjunction with High Commission for Water and Forest and Fight Against Desertification (Government of Morocco); and through support from SVS-BirdLife Switzerlandand VBN (BirdLife in the Netherlands), with the support of several institutions, notably the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the BirdLife Species Champion for the Northern Bald Ibis through the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme. Souss-Massa National Park authority is responsible for work in the field and a longstanding conservation project since 1994.

This year, GREPOM (BirdLife Morocco) has taken on a leading role to protect the future of the Northern Bald Ibis in Morocco which is, given 99% its wild population is found in Morocco, very important for protecting the future of this Critically Endangered species globally.

2014 breeding season results: New record

As a regular task of the wardens employed by BirdLife in coordination with Souss Massa National park, monitoring of the colonies is essential to evaluate the evolution of the population

Regular monitoring of the population produced the following results:

	SMNP				TAMRI	SMNP & TAMRI
	Site A	Site F	Site E	Total
Pairs	20	20	21	61	63	124
Pairs laying eggs	19	18	21	58	57	115
Hatchlings	35	41	53	129	151	280
Fledglings	30	36	46	112	80	192
Chick survival (%)	58,7	87,8	86,7	86,8	52,9	68,5
Productivity	1,6	2	2,2	1,9	1,4	1,6

A productivity of 1.6 fledglings per pair is very successful for this species. In fact, if we compare these parameters with the previous year we get

	SMNP		Tamri		SMNP + Tamri
	2013	2014	2013	2014		2013	2014
Pairs	51	61	62	63		118	124
Pairs laying eggs	53	58	60	57		113	115
Hatchlings	101	129	161	151		262	280
Fledglings	77	112	71	80		148	192
Chick survival (%)	76.2	86.8	44	52.9		56.4	68.5
Productivity	1.4	1.9	1.1	1.4		1.3	1.6

The evolution becomes evident if we compare among years

Figure 1 Evolution of the number of pairs and fledglings in Souss-Massa and Tamri area

We can see that both the number of pairs and fledglings is the highest ever recorded in Morocco since the beginning of NBI conservation program in the 1990s.

In addition to the very successful breeding records, the regular census at roosts, gave at least 524 individuals. The evolution of the population is shown in the following figure.

Figure 2  Evolution of the post breeding numbers of NBI in Souss-Massa and Tamri area

In 2004, the count was 528 individuals, only slightly over the current record.

2013 breeding results

I. Introduction:

In the framework of the National Species Action Plan for Northern Bald Ibis, Geronticus eremita, prepared in 2008 by HCEFLCD (High Commission for Water and Forest and Fight against Desertification) with its partners, monitoring NBI is one of the main aspects to follow population dynamics. Collected data are essential to take any decision to manage the last viable NBI population in the world. 

II. Main activities and events in  2013

1. Wardens

Seven wardens are recruited with the cooperation of Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, 4 in Souss Massa National Park and 3 in Tamri area. 

2. Site C
Dummies installed at site C faded and are currently dusty. They are not efficient and should be retired.

3. Disturbance

Breeding sites didn't suffer too much disturbance by tourist, compared to previous years. 12 visitors, 9 of them birders, approached Tamri site and two photographers went close to sites A and F, in the Park. 

Nevertheless, this year site E was very frequented by fishermen just at the beginning of the breeding season. Wardens, assisted by rangers kindly persuaded the fishermen to leave.

4. Waterpoints
Waterpoints are daily cleaned and filled with fresh water by the wardens, during all the breeding season. Their monitoring showed a regular use by adults and, later, fledgings.

See here to know more about water supply

III. 2013 breeding season results 

Breeding season started in Tamri by the first week of February and finissed during the last week of Mai. Unlike the previous year, in 2013 60 pairs produced fledgings from 161 hatchlings. Although survival is relatively low (44%), productivity (1,1 fledgling/nest) is satisfactory. 
In SMNP breeding started later, by the first week of March, and finished in mid June. A lanner falcon prevented ibises to nest at site B (that usually holds 6 pairs), thus only 53 pairs nested and 77 fledging survived from 101 hatchings (survival 76%; productivity, 1,4 fledgling/nest). 
Altogether, 118 pairs were formed, 113 nested successfully and produced 262 chicks 148 of whom fledgled (survival rate, 56%, productivity, 1,3 fledgling/nest). 

Table 1. Results at the different sites.

Parameters	SMNP					TAMRI	PNSM & TAMRI
	Site A	Site B	Site F	Site E	Total
Formed pairs	20	0	16	20	56	62	118
Laying pairs  (1)	20	0	15	18	53	60	113
Hatchlings	34	0	34	33	101	161	262
Fledglings (2)	28	0	24	25	77	71	148
Survival rate  (%)	82,3	0	70,5	75,7	76,2	44	56,4
Productivity (2/1)	1,4	0	1,6	1,3	1,4	1,1	1,3

Differences with 2012 (Table 2) are due to the good weather conditions, with rains well distributed between September 2012 and April 2013. 

Table 2. Comparaison between 2012 and 2013

Parameter	SMNP		Tamri		SMNP &Tamri
	2012	2013	2012	2013	2012	2013
Formed pairs	62	56	43	62	105	118
Laying pairs (1)	54	53	11	60	65	113
Hatchlings	95	101	0	161	95	262
Fledglings  (2)	56	77	0	71	56	148
Productivity (2/1)	1	1.4	0	1.1	0.8	1.3

The number of pairs is the highest since the creation of the Park (Figure 1).

Figure 1 : Evolution of number of NBI breeding pairs in Souss-Massa region

The number of chicks produced also increased (Figure 2), despite the relatively low survival rates observed in Tamri site, and it's one of the highest even recorded.  This mortality could be explained, among other things, by a shortness of food resources available in a region in which there is more disturbance from human activities (tourism development, nomadic herds, ...).

Figure 2 : Evolution of productivity of NBI population in Souss-Massa region (blue, number of fledglings; red, productivity)

Regular census shows that before breeding there were 319 individuals. After breeding, the number rose to 443 birds (Figure 3) .

Figure 3: Evolution of NBI population at Souss-Massa region before (blue) and after (pink) breeding

The gap between both figures some years reachs more than 100, meaning that a number of birds disperses outside the prospected area. 

It's worth to note that just after breeding, most ibis from Tamri region move to the limits of Souss-Massa National Park. In 2012 this displacement occurred even before, due to the failure of breeding at Tamri (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Monitoring of NBI numbers between 2011 and 2013

SMNP role is essential for the survival of the species. 

IV. Conclusion

NBI had a good breeding season, with a record of 113 breeding pairs, 148 fledglings and a rate of 1,3 fledgling/nest.

After this breeding season, the whole population at Souss-Massa region  has been evaluated at 443. 

After the original report by :

Widade OUBROU & Mohammed El Bekkay